Teachers and ancillary staff of South Australian government schools or preschools must have an approved authority to teach or work letter.

Receiving a letter

Teachers

Teachers who have met the teaching requirements and registrations for employment on the EduJobs employable teacher register (ETR) will be emailed an approved authority to teach letter.

You do not need to submit an ETR application each year. An approved application will remain active on an ongoing basis unless:

• a mandatory requirement expires
• your circumstances change in a way that requires reassessment of your application.

Visit EduJobs to place your details on the employable teacher register (ETR).

Get help with
your letter

Ancillary staff

Ancillary staff who have met the ancillary requirements and registrations for employment on the EduJobs employable ancillary register (EAR) will be emailed an approved authority to work letter.

You do not need to submit an EAR application each year. An approved application will remain active on an ongoing basis unless:

• a mandatory requirement expires
• your circumstances change in a way that requires reassessment of your application.

Visit EduJobs to place your details on the employable ancillary register.

Get help with
your letter

Principals and Preschool Director responsibilities

Principals and preschool directors must make sure the approved authority to teach or work letter is presented at their site on the first day a temporary employee works. This must be verified via eduportal. See the authority to work or teach letter for approved applicant user guide (staff log in required) (PDF 409 KB) .

A copy of the authority must be kept along with a copies of:

• photo identification
• relevant history screening – DHS Working With Children Check (WWCC) and/or Teachers Registration Certificate
• current and appropriate certificate of Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care (RRHAN-EC) training.

Validity of authority to teach or work letters

An authority to teach or work letter is only valid if:

• dates of all licenses and certificates are current
• minimum requirements have been met
• the word ‘approved’ appears at the top of the letter.

The school or preschool must verify that the letter is current before the teacher starts work.

When any of the licenses or certificates have expired, the authority letter is not valid, and the words ‘not approved’ will appear at the top of the letter.

An applicant cannot be employed until all minimum requirements have been met and licenses and certificates are current.

Whenever an application for employment has been amended or updated, a new authority to teach or work letter will be emailed.

The letter will only show changes to certificate dates, some changes to personal details, and an applicant's current status of ‘approved’ or ‘not approved’. The letter is a confirmation that a change has been made.

Processing times

Online registrations for employment can expect the authority to teach or work letter to be emailed when our compliance team has verified:

• screens and questions have been completed and answered accurately and correctly
• mandatory certificates and licenses are current and attached to the screen
• all the minimum requirements to work or teach have been met
• employment declaration questions are completed.

It can take up to 6 weeks to clear and issue your letter of authority to teach or work letter.

There may be a delay if you submit your application during peak times (October to January). You can still apply for advertised positions and will be considered for temporary positions pending issue of your authority to teach or work letter.

Delays in being cleared for employment

There may be delays in receiving your authority to teach or work letter if:

• you have answered ‘yes’ to any question in the employment declaration of the EduJobs application
• you're a new applicant, as residency and qualifications must be verified
• you have not provided full disclosure or supporting documents to your ‘yes’ responses in the employment declaration – more information may be requested from you
• the minimum requirements for employment are incomplete or not met
• there are errors in your application.